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“I’m here for dinner.”
“Why?”
“Because I was invited.” I hold up my phone as if that will support my statement, even though the screen is dark.
“It’s only me and the kids here, and I didn’t invite you. Why would…Shit.” She exhales with a little shake of her head.
“What?”
“I think we’ve been set up.”
“Colt knows you’ve been avoiding me?” I can’t contain my grin.
“Not avoiding, just busy.” Her expression is carefully blank.
“You could’ve sent a text.”
She pins me with a cold stare. “Or I could’ve texted when I actually had time to deal with you, which is why I didn’t…”
“Uncle Wes!” Alex barrels toward me and jumps into my arms.
“Hey champ. Been practicing your spiral?”
“Yep. I can throw across the whole length of the pool. Wanna see?”
“You bet!” I set him down and let him drag me out back. Sawyer follows along behind us, protesting.
“Alex, the pizza will be here any minute. Maybe you can throw with Wes another time?”
“Why doesn’t he just stay for dinner?” Alex heads for the storage bin that holds his toys.
“I don’t think there will be enough.”
“Dad always orders enough.” His voice echoes as he leans further into the toy chest.
I see Sawyer frown the corner of my eye and pretend to cough to cover my laugh. You can’t get anything past Alex.
“Uncle Wes,” Emmy gingerly steps outside, trying to balance on a pair of Sam’s heels.
“What are you doing, pumpkin? You know you’re not supposed to wear your Mom’s shoes.” I pick her up and give her a squeeze, letting the shoes drop to the ground.
“What did you just call her?” Sawyer holds her breath, looking as white as a ghost.
“Pumpkin.” I shrug.
“Sawyer calls me Punkin too, Uncle Wes,” Emmy giggles as she runs her hand over the stubble on my cheek.
“Does she?” I’m suddenly feeling as pale as Sawyer looks. I rack my brain, trying to think of whether I should know that, but for the life of me I can’t remember Colt or Sam mentioning it.
“She calls me Punkin cause my birfday’s in October. Why do you call me Punkin?” She turns her attention to my tie.
“Because your mom dressed you up as a pumpkin for your first Halloween.” My voice sounds thick. Scratchy almost. I can see how we’d both come up with the pumpkin name, but it’s still a crazy coincidence.
“How do you know that?” Sawyer’s voice is hoarse too.
“I was here. I had a bye week.” I set Emmy down and she races to the toy chest to dig out her own toys.
“They call you Uncle, and you were here for Emmy’s first Halloween. Why does it feel like you know them better than I do?”
